CHAP. XLII. ftOSAl'.K. /'Y'Ul >. 



Ocean; anil from the cold mountainous \\oody regions of the north, to the 

 alj)ine parts of Caucasus and Mount Libanus. In the former situation it is 

 a low shrubby bush, and in the latter a handsome tree of the third rank. It is 

 found in Japan, and probably, also, in other islands of the Indian Ocean. In 

 Britain, it is common in woods and hedges, in mountainous, but rather moist 

 situations, in every part of the island, and also in Ireland. In I'Yance, Ger- 

 many, and Swit/erland, it is wild in all the woods, as well as in the higher 

 and colder regions of the mountains of Spain and Italy. The soil in which 

 it thrives best, though moist, is not boggy, but rather loamy or light. The 

 situation is generally more or less exposed; for, if crowded by other trees, it- 

 trunk, like that of other species of Pyrus, in similar situations, never attains 

 a large size. The largest trees of this species in Britain are those in the 

 Western Highlands, and on the west coast of Scotland; from which it may 

 he inferred, that it prefers a moist climate to one that is dry. Withering 

 justly observes that it will not attain a large size, unless it grows in a fertile 

 soil. The tree was known to the Greeks and Romans ; and Virgil was aware 

 that it might be grafted on the pear. It is mentioned under tiie name of 

 A^orbus sylvestris by Matthiolns, and other eminent writers on plants, down 

 to the time of Gerard ; who, like Pliny, considered it as a species of ash. 



Proj)crfics and Uses. The wood, when dry, weighs 51 Ib. 12 oz. per cubic 

 foot. It is homogeneous, fine-grained, hard, capable of being stained any 

 colour, and of taking a high polish ; and it is applied to all the various uses of 

 P. yrria and P. torminalis, when it can be obtained of adequate dimensions. In 

 Britain, the tree forms excellent coppice wood, the shoots being well adapted 

 for poles, and for making excellent hoops; and the bark being in demand by 

 tanners. As it will grow in the most exposed situations, and rapidly, when 

 young, it forms an admirable nurse tree to the oak, and other slow-growing 

 .-peek's ; and, being a tree of absolute habits ; that is, incapable of being drawn 

 up above a certain height by culture, it has this great advantage, that, after 

 having done its duty as a nurse, instead of growing up with the other trees, 

 and choking them, it quietly submits to be over-topped, and destroyed by 

 the shade and drip of those which it was planted to shelter and protect. 

 It may be mentioned, as somewhat singular, that the alpine laburnum 

 though naturally a much lower tree than the mountain ash, will, when drawn 

 up in woods, attain twice the height of the latter tree. The fruit of the 

 mountain ash is greedily devoured by birds ; and, in various parts of the 

 north of Europe, these berries are dried and ground into flour, and used 

 as a substitute for the flour made of wheat, in times of great scarcity. In 

 Livonia, Sweden, and Kamtschatka, the berries of the mountain ash are 

 eaten, when ripe, as fruit ; and a very good spirit is distilled from them. 

 Evelyn says that " ale and beer brewed with these berries, being ripe, is an 

 incomparable drink, familiar in Wales." They form, he says, a tempting 

 bait for the thrushes ; so that, " as long as they last in your woods, you will 

 be- sure of their company." " Besides the use of it for the husbandman's 

 tools, goods, tire., the wheelwright commends it for being all heart; our 

 fletchers (archers) commend it for bows, next to yew, which we ought not to 

 pass over, for the glory of our once English ancestors. In a statute of Henry 

 VIII. you have it mentioned ; and there is no churchyard in Wales with- 

 out a mountain ash tree planted in it, as the yew trees are in the church- 

 yards in England. So, in a certain day in the year, every body in Wales 

 reli:Jousl\ wears a cross made of the wood; and the tree is, by some authors. 

 called Fraxiuus eambro-britannica." (Hunter's Evelyn.^ vol. i. p. 218.) In 

 Germany, the fowlers bait springes, or nooses of hair, with the berries of this 

 tree, which they hang in the woods to entice the redwings and fieldfares. In- 

 fused in water, the berries nuke an acid drink, somewhat resembling perry, 

 which is much used in Wales by the poor, who call it diod-graviole, or 

 ciavol drink. In the Isle of Java*, the juice of these berries is used as an 

 acid for punch. (See Miirtytfx M/llcr.) As an ornamental tree, the mountain 

 ash is well adapted for small uardens ; and it is also deserving of a place in 



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